The Development Over The Last Four Years

The last four years have been a period of transformation and growth for La Boite Theatre Company. Since that milestone moment in February 2004 when we moved to the Creative Industries Precinct, we have seen:

o        The establishment of The Roundhouse Theatre as a viable and popular venue with both audiences and artists.

o        An unprecedented growth in audiences for the Company that has equated to an increase in box office receipts of over 100% from those at the Hale Street site.

o        The Company produce (or co-produce) 22 productions within the main-house program of exclusively Australian plays that included 17 premiere works from 21 writers including 9 writers on professional debut. (This includes sex:cubed – a collection of short works by emerging writers). Of those 22 productions, 6 were adaptations of works by nationally significant authors such as, David Malouf, Andrew McGahan and Nick Earls. There were also 2 contemporary extant works from David Williamson and an iconic Queensland play by Philip Dean.

o        The Company complete a total of 52 weeks of regional and national touring from 2004 – 2007 with premiere works, Zigzag Street, James & Johnno, Crèche & Burn (and soon to be joined by Walking by Apple Tree Creek) enjoying successful seasons.

o        The Company enjoying a suite of creative partnerships with festivals and other organisations, notably the Brisbane Festival and Derby Playhouse (UK), ZenZenZo (Wicked Bodies–2004), the Queensland Music Festival (Bobcat Magic and Long Gone Lonesome Cowgirls in 2005 and Red Cap in 2007) and the Queensland Arts Council in the creative development and presentation of two New Works for young people (Hermes on the Naked flame and Power Trip).

o        The Creative Development Program of the Company developing or assisting in the development of over 20 projects for a variety of different outcomes (main-house, schools touring, festivals and independent projects) and commissioned both local and national artists (e.g. creative development The Danger Age by Kate Mulvany 2005 – 2007).

2007 has been a year of extraordinary success for the Company,

o        Three of the five premiere plays of the 2007 season extended their run, due to popular demand.

o        The Company piloted the Roundhouse Theatre Presents season, supporting independent companies, including CIRCA with the internationally acclaimed The Space Between and Dogs in the Roof with Linda Hassall's Post Office Rose.

o        The Company participated in the international tour to the UK of The Brisbane Festival/Derby Playhouse/La Boite Theatre Company co-production of Johnno.

o        La Boite Theatre Company was awarded the Australian Business Arts Foundation Toyota Community State Award for its 2006 partnership with Queensland Gas Company.

Beyond the great suite of works at the Roundhouse Theatre that the Company will present in 2008,

o        La Boite's premiere production of The Narcissist by Stephen Carleton has secured a place in the 2008 Sydney Theatre Company season and is touring to Wollongong as well!

o        Walking by Apple Tree Creek by Ian Brown that so successfully premiered in September, will tour throughout regional Queensland in March/April 2008 with Penny Everingham playing Del.

o        La Boite's Creative Development Program will develop key works for 2009 and beyond, including Oodgeroo by Sam Watson.

The Background

For all this success, there has been a fair bit of challenge as well. There has always been an overriding need to acknowledge the given circumstances and to remain pro-active according to those circumstances,

During the last year, the Company has been looking to the future, seeking to establish our direction for the next four years. I have particularly welcomed the input of the Company's Creative Reference Group in this process. But also, many artists and theatre workers have taken the opportunity to put forward their views and we have been attentive. I believe the Company has arrived once again at one of those times when it must declare its 'reason why' for the next generation of theatre artists and audiences.

It is clear that the requirement for institutions like La Boite is to provide leadership and opportunity. It is also apparent that the circumstances within which the Company is operating are changing quite dramatically. A new generation of artists is emerging with their own agenda and way of working and the "theatre industry" is reacting accordingly. Arts agencies at both state and federal level are resetting their funding criteria. The implementation of the Queensland Government's sector plan and the Australia Council for the Arts' new procedures for both independent artists and key organisations, articulate the most significant adjustment of priorities for a generation.

Consequently, the effectiveness of institutional companies like La Boite is being re-evaluated by both artists and funding agencies and the Company must respond. Through our process of consultation, it has been made clear that the conventional paradigm of a stand-alone production house with a discrete creative agenda, ruled by a single artistic or entrepreneurial vision may no longer appropriate for this new generation. There is a need to develop a more apposite model for the Company that is a better fit for the new order.

The Way Forward

La Boite Theatre Company is about to enter a new phase of its life. In 2007, we took the first steps towards that goal. The Roundhouse Theatre Presents program heralded La Boite Theatre Company as an "artistic hub" (to use Australia Council nomenclature), a company that not only produces work through its own artistic resources but also presents contemporary theatre in partnership with independent artists, creative cliques and companies. Increasingly, La Boite Theatre Company will become a Company artists work with rather than for, where the Company is recognised less for its creative individuality as for the quality, diversity, and depth of its artistic leadership and the strength of the creative partnerships forged.

The potential benefit to artists is manifest. In some respects, this new model works to breakdown the perceived hierarchal obstacles in the existing structure and promotes a more balanced relationship between the Company and its artists.

In La Boite Theatre Company's 2008 season, there are two clear examples of this new paradigm. Matrix Theatre's THE WISHING WELL and ATTACK OF THE ATTACKING ATTACKERS! are both projects where artists are working in partnership with La Boite. Both have their own creative autonomy whilst at the same time, they are afforded financial security, production and marketing resources and critical framework that La Boite can uniquely provide.

For the Company, this new agenda aligns our creative aspirations more closely to government that provide a substantial (and vital) contribution to the Company's revenue. It also allows for a diversification of outcomes and provides a clear point of entry for artists and their endeavour. The only caveat to all of this is the imperative to continue to privilege the presentation of contemporary Australian Theatre and New Work. Given the proliferation and diversity of offerings by other venues and institutions in Brisbane, this is not an unreasonable position. We will continue to unashamedly champion our place, our stories and our voice.

Is there risk in this idea? Most assuredly. But La Boite Theatre Company must move forward with its artistic community; that has been its history, the reason for the community's support and for the Company's continued success.

Sean Mee
Artistic Director/CEO
La Boite Theatre Company
October 2007